Sick baby chick sounds like a cuckoo clock! Help!

[Silkiechickie13]

Hi all,
I have a baby chick about 3 weeks old and I noticed yesterday he was sneezing and making a funny sound when he was breathing. It sounded just like a cuckoo clock. He keeps on shaking his head and making those funny high pitched sounds. It is not something stuck in his throat and other than the sneezing he has no other symptoms. Does anyone know if it is permanent? Could it possibly be because he was outside, maybe he got chilled?(I have them in a cardboard box with a heating light they are inside a coop and they can move in and out of the box with the heat. The box is upside down so the draft won't get in and there is twenty other chicks and a couple who act like broodys. So I thought they would be okay. I will bring them back inside if necessary. The coldest temperature is about 50 degrees F. I gave her a little yogurt and I called my feed store and they recommended some pills. Any recommended medicine? Will she be a permanent carrier? She is currently quarantined inside. Thank you!

 

[azygous]

It sounds like a respiratory infection. I would try Tylan if those are the pills your feed store has. It's very effective against respiratory bacteria.

 

[Silkiechickie13]

It sounds like a respiratory infection. I would try Tylan if those are the pills your feed store has. It's very effective against respiratory bacteria.

My feed store only has injectable Tylan. I will try that. Thank you! One question how do I know if she is a permanent carrier? Should I treat the whole flock or just her? Thanks again!

 

[azygous]

Segregate her and just treat her. There is a chance the entire flock has been exposed and are carriers, but don't try to deal with that now. Use the injectable Tylan in the breast muscle, but don't go too deep.

 

[Abriana]

I recommend consulting a vet on how to/what size needless use/where to inject. Chicks are very delicate. Best of luck!

 

[Silkiechickie13]

Segregate her and just treat her. There is a chance the entire flock has been exposed and are carriers, but don't try to deal with that now. Use the injectable Tylan in the breast muscle, but don't go too deep.

Okay I will do that. I am heading over to the feed store now. Should I deep clean the entire coop to hopefully prevent further spreading?

 

[azygous]

Cleaning never hurts, but if it's a virus behind this chick's illness, it will still linger in the chickens. The best way to prevent respiratory infections is good ventilation and good diet, and plenty of space to avoid overcrowding, because stress is a main factor in setting off these infections.

But do keep the sick chick separate until she's better.

 

[Silkiechickie13]

Cleaning never hurts, but if it's a virus behind this chick's illness, it will still linger in the chickens. The best way to prevent respiratory infections is good ventilation and good diet, and plenty of space to avoid overcrowding, because stress is a main factor in setting off these infections.

But do keep the sick chick separate until she's better.

Thank you, I will do just that. I suspect it was the stress of being moved outside that caused her to be sick. I gave her the vaccine a little while ago. If the rest of the flock has it as well, will they show symptoms or how can I tell? Oh, after the treatment can she still spread the disease to the rest of the chickens? Sorry for all the questions! Thank you so much for helping me out!

 

[azygous]

I would only treat individuals that show symptoms. There's no guarantee any others will get sick. There are many different kinds of respiratory illness, some bacterial, some viral. It's not possible to know what kind is at work in this chick's case without lab tests, and then it only serves to put a name on it. You might be able to tailor an antibiotic to it if you know what you're dealing with, but it's not crucial to know.

The good news is almost all avian respiratory illness is treated similarly. Tylan is one of the most common medications used for all of them. If the chick responds to it, you will then know that if any others show symptoms, you can treat them also, and they should also recover.

A virus usually can't be cured directly, but it doesn't mean your chickens will always get sick from it. Keeping stress at a minimum, good ventilation, space, and good diet are the best "treatments."

 

[Silkiechickie13]

Thank you so much everyone for your help. Unfortunately she passed away just minutes ago. She was such a sweet little chick and was like a pet to me.

She could not breathe and was so weak she could not open her eyes or pick her head up.The poor baby was suffering and I hope she is in a large grass meadow eating lots of little bugs. I cleaned the entire coop and replaced the feeders and waterers. So far no one is showing signs of being sick. I really hope it does not spread. Is this just a poultry virus or can other animals and humans get it too?​